Combined match-safe and cigar-cutter



(Ho ltodeL- U. PORSTENDORFER.

COMBINED MATGH SAFE AND CIGAR CUTTER.

"No. 509,942. Patented Dec. 5; 18,93.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

URBANUS PORSTENDORFER, OF HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT.

COMBINED MATCH-SAFE AND CIGAR-CUTTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Batent No. 509,942, dated December5, 1893.

Application filed July 5 18 9 3.

To all whom it nuty concern:

Be it known that I, URBANUS PORSTEN-- DORFER, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing in the city and county of Hartford, in the State ofConnecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in aCombined Match-Safe and Cigar-Cutter, which improvements are describedin the following specification and are illustrated by the accompany-.

convenient means whereby the user of a cigar may cut off the closed tipof the cigar, preparatory to lighting, and may at the same time bepresented with a match, with which to light the cigar so out.

It is the object of my invention to combine a match-safe with acigar-cutter in such simple and superior manner that a match shall bedelivered at the mouth of the safe by the same movement by which thecigar is cut for lighting. To accomplish this object I use a stationaryknife-holder, which is provided at the top witharest for a single match,in combination with the hopper like match safe, which is provided withguiding mechanism, which reciprocates vertically upon such knifeholder.

The best manner in which I have contemplated applying the principles ofmy invention, is illustrated by said drawings, in which- Figure 1 is afront elevation of a combined match-safe and cigar-cutter, which isconstructed in accordance with those principles; and Fig. 2 is across-section on the broken line a: a: of Fig. 1.

In the views the numeral 1 denotes the knifeholder, which is a wooden ormetallic plate, of general rectangular form, supported in a verticalpositionby-the base 2. In the front side of holder 1, the knife-plate 3,whose front surface is flush with that of said holder, is fastened byscrews, or pins, 4. The knife, which is the cutting edge of plate 3, iscurved, as shown at 5 in Fig. 1,,to roughly fit the rounded surface ofthe cigar tip, where the latter is to be out. Just back of knife 5 andabove it, holder 1 is perforated by a hole 6. In the back side of holder1 is a central chansrm No. 479,566. on model.)

nel 7, running downward from hole 6, for the accommodation of finger 17,which is hereinafter described. Holder 1 is also provided with avertical slot 8, for the accommodation of the stop-pin 18, which ishereinafter described. In the top of holder 1 is a horizontal groove 9,which is of proper size and shape in. Holder 1 is rigidly secured in thevertical position shown, by means of said base 2, consisting preferablyof duplicate iron castings l0 and 10, between which the lower part ofholder 1 is clamped by screws 11. This base, being provided withscrew-holes 12, may advantageously be secured to the top of a bar, deskor other immovable support. The top of the front segment 10 is coveredwith sandpaper 24.

On holder 1 is mounted the sliding safe 13, containing matches 14. Thissafe is atin box, provided with a latching door 15, where matches may beinserted. The safe is open from end to end along the top, where twoslanting sides of the safe approach each other, and is open at thebottom in the same manner. These two openings are diagonally oppositeeach other, and are of such dimensions as readily to admit the upperportion of holder 1, as shown in Fig. 2. Safe 13 is provided with aguiding case 16, which is continuous with the described body of thesafe, and extends downward on both sides and edges of holder 1. Thefront side of case 16 has a hole 22 for the admission of the cigar tip,while the back side of the same carries said finger 17. This finger iselastic, and is inclined inward toward the bottom of groove 7, in whichit is adapted to travel. From front to rear of case 16 runs the stop-pin1S,which is adapted to travel in said slot 8. On the back side of case16 and safe 13, is formed a box 19 for the reception of the tips whichare cut from cigar Box 19 is pivoted at 20, and is ordinarily heldclosed by a catch 21. 7

Such being the construction of my im proved match-safe and cigar-cutter,the mode of its operation requires but little separate elucidation. Inthe absence of all manipulation, the safe occupies the position which isshown in the drawings, being carried to that position by its own weight,and being stopped th by the contact of pin 18 with the bottom of to holda single match, lying lengthwise theredownward, the cigar point ispressed down slot 8, or by the contact of case 16 with base 2. At thesame time holder 1 extends upward through the middle of the safediagonally, and groove 9 is presented empty at the top of the safe, asshown in Fig. 2. In order to use the device as a cutter, it is necessaryto raise the safe, and the connected case 16, slidingly upward by handuntil stopped by the contact of pin 18 with the top of slot 8. Groove 9is thus brought down among the matches 14. One of the latter at onceproceeds to fall or roll into groove 9, and occupies the Whole of it. Bythe described lifting of case 16, hole 22 is brought just opposite hole6, and just above the level of knife 5. A cigar tip is now insertedthrough both said holes, and is so brought into contact with the knifebelow and finger 17 above. When now the safe is pressed upon the knifeby the joint actionoffinger 17 and of that portion of case 16 which isthe upper limit of hole 22; and being thereby cut off, falls into box19, where it is preserved until the box is opened and emptied, .As thesafe then returns to its first described posi-- tion, which is shown inthe drawings, the beforementioned match, which took exclusive possessionof groove 9, is presented singly and alone at the upper orifice of thesafe, ready and convenient to be taken away by the fin gels of theoperator, and used for the purpose of lighting the cigar, so cut forlighting.

Such being the construction and operation of my improved match-safe andcigar-cutter, I claim as'my invention- In a combined match-safe andcigar-cutter, a stationary knife-holding plate, which is provided with aterminal top groove for a match, and with a round hole .to admit thepoint of a cigar, and a knife plate, which is set in such knife-holdingplate, and has its cutting edge at the edge of such hole, in combinationwith a reciprocating hopper match-safe, mounted upon such stationaryknife-holding plate by means of a sliding case, which is continuous withsuch match-safe, is fitted to work upon such knife-holding plate, and isprovided at one side of such knife-holding plate with a hole to admitthe point of a cigar, and at the other side of the same with an inwardlyinclined elastic finger, which is adapted to press the cigar against theknife, when the safe is depressed by the hand of the operator,substantially as and for the purpose specified.

In testimony whereof I hereunto setimy name in the presence of twowitnesses.

URBANUS PORSTENDORFER.

WVitnesses:

WILLARD, EDDY, PAUL A. GREBEL.

